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January 15
1800s *1885 - At a Union Association meeting held in Milwaukee, only two clubs show up, the Milwaukee Grays and the Kansas City Unions. It is decided to disband the league. *1888: **The Texas League is organized when the following six cities are awarded franchises: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Galveston, Houston, and San Antonio. **In San Francisco, New York Giants pitcher George Van Haltran tosses a no-hitter against the St. Louis Browns in an exhibition game. The only solidly hit ball is a Tip O'Neill line drive caught by first baseman Buck Ewing. 1900s 1910s *1912 - Former Brooklyn Superbas pitcher Elmer Stricklett, said to be the inventor of the spitball, is reinstated by the National Commission after playing outside organized baseball for three years. But he does not make it back to the major leagues. 1920s *1927 - The Washington Senators trade shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh to the Chicago White Sox for pitchers Leo Mangum and Sloppy Thurston. Peckinpaugh will hit .295 for the White Sox but will retire after the season. 1930s *1934 - New York Yankees slugger Babe Ruth signs a one-year contract worth $35,000. While the contract is considered a lucrative one for the times, it represents a pay cut of $17,000 for “The Babe”. *1936: **IRS figures for 1934 show Branch Rickey as the highest paid man in major league baseball at $49,470. Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis had voluntarily taken a cut in 1933 from $65,000 to $40,000 because of the Depression. **Horace Stoneham is elected president of the New York Giants, succeeding his late father. Stoneham, at age 32, will remain president for the next 40 years before selling the team in 1976. **In Japanese baseball, the Chunichi Dragons of Nagoya are officially formed. Eight days later the Hankyu Braves of Nishinomiya are formed. 1940s *1942: **US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt sends his famed [http://www.nationalpastime.com/greenlightdoc.html Green Light Letter] to Commissioner Judge Landis, encouraging major league baseball to continue playing during World War II. President Roosevelt states he believes playing the sport would be good for Americans and encourages the owners to have more games at night to give war workers an opportunity to attend games.Despite a loss of many star players to military service, all 16 teams will continue to play regular schedules for the duration of the war. Ironically, the Chicago Cubs, who had signed an agreement with a contractor to install to install lights at Wrigley Field, drop their plans because of the military need for the material. There will be no lights at Wrigley for 35 more years. 1950s *1957 - The Brooklyn Dodgers extend their five-year lease on Ebbets Field by signing a new three-year lease with real estate developer Marvin Kratter, who bought the field in 1953. A year later, the Dodgers will call the City of Los Angeles their new home. *1958 - The New York Yankees announced that 140 games will be televised this season. The deal is worth over one million dollars. Six days later, the Philadelphia Phillies agree to televise 78 games into the New York City area, which is without National League baseball for the first time since the league's inception in 1876. *1959 - The Texas League makes a radical rule change, allowing pitchers to automatically signal an intentional walk. The rule change eliminates the need for the pitcher to intentionally throw four pitches out of the strike zone. 1960s *1964: **Major league baseball executives vote to hold a free agent draft in New York City. A new TV pact is also signed. **San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays, the highest paid player in major league baseball, signs for $105,000. 1970s *1970 - The Oakland Athletics trade catcher Phil Roof, outfielder Mike Hershberger and pitchers Lew Krausse and Ken Sanders to the Milwaukee Brewers for first baseman Don Mincher and infielder Ron Clark. It is the first trade ever for the Brewers. 1980s *1981 - Pitcher Bob Gibson is elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Gibson, who needed 301 votes for election, is named on 337 ballots by the Baseball Writers Association of America.In 17 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Gibson won 251 games, struck out 3,117 batters, compiled a 2.91 ERA, won 20 games five times, and earned two World Championship rings. In 1968, Gibson enjoyed his best season ever, going 22-9 with a 1.12 ERA and captured the Cy Young Award. Players falling short of the 301 votes needed for election include Don Drysdale (243), Gil Hodges (241), Harmon Killebrew (239), Hoyt Wilhelm (238) and Juan Marichal (233). 1990s *1990 - Japanese League star Cecil Fielder signs a contract with the Detroit Tigers. Fielder, who had blasted 38 home runs for the Hanshin Tigers in 1989, will hit 51 home runs in 1990 and become one of the premier power hitters in the American League for most of the decade. *1993 - Free agent shortstop Dick Schofield signs to a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. *1998 - The Chicago Cubs sign free agent relief pitcher Rod Beck to a one-year contract. *1999 - Two free agents relief pitchers are signed, Heathcliff Slocumb by the Baltimore Orioles, and Mike Mohler by the St. Louis Cardinals. 2000s *2002: **All-Star outfielder Gary Sheffield is traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for outfielder Brian Jordan, pitcher Odális Pérez and a minor league player. The deal ends Sheffield's stormy tenure with the Dodgers. **The Philadelphia Phillies sign free agent relief pitcher Terry Adams to a one-year contract. *2006: **The Los Angeles Angels agreed to multiyear contracts with IF/OF Chone Figgins and OF Juan Rivera. The versatile Figgins got a $10.5 million, three-year deal, and Rivera agreed to a $3,275,000, two-year contract. **The Dodgers acquired All-Stars relievers Danys Baez and Lance Carter from Tampa Bay for two pitching prospects. **Jason Bay, Justin Morneau, Erik Bedard, Jeff Francis, Rheal Cormier, Paul Quantrill, Matt Stairs and Corey Koskie, were among 23 players named to Canada's 30-man roster for the inaugural World Baseball Classic. **The Arizona Diamondbacks and catcher Johnny Estrada agreed to a $2 million, one-year contract, avoiding arbitration. **OF/1B Craig Wilson chose not to go to salary arbitration and agreed to a $3.3 million, one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Births *1882 - Ed Kinsella, pitcher (d. 1976) *1885 - Grover Lowdermilk, pitcher (d. 1968) *1891 - Ray Chapman, infielder (b. 1920) *1920 - Steve Gromek, All-Star pitcher (d. 2002) *1943 - Mike Marshall, All-Star pitcher *1949 - Bobby Grich, All-Star infielder *1949 - Luis Alvarado, infielder (d. 2001) *1956 - Rance Mulliniks, infielder *1956 - Jerry Narron, player and manager *1969 - Delino DeShields, infielder *1973 - Wayne Gomes, pitcher *1974 - Ray King, pitcher *1979 - Ben Howard, pitcher *1980 - J.D. Closser, catcher *1980 - Matt Holliday, outfielder *1982 - Melvin Dorta, IF/OF Deaths *1937 - Eddie Foster, infielder (b. 1887) *1947 - Jimmy Sheckard, outfielder (b. 1878) *2004 - Gus Suhr, All-Star infielder (b. 1906)